1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a grommet, comprising panel-installing portions disposed at both sides thereof and a wire portion, to be installed on a wire harness of an automobile or the like and more particularly to the grommet to be installed on the wire harness wired in penetration through two panels.
2. Description of the Related Arts
As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, a grommet 3 is installed on a wire harness wired in penetration through a through-hole 1a formed on a body panel 1 of an automobile and a through-hole 2a formed on a door panel 2, so as to prevent water from penetrating into the body panel 1 or the door panel 2 from the through-hole 1a or the through-hole 2a and protect the wire harness disposed between the panel 1 and the door panel 2 from being damaged.
Flexible rubber is molded into the grommet 3. The grommet 3 comprises panel-installing portions 3a and 3b disposed at both ends thereof and a wire portion 3c disposed between the panel-installing portions 3a and 3b as shown in FIGS. 8 and 10. The panel-installing portions 3a and 3b and the wire portion 3c are integral with each other.
More specifically, as shown in FIG. 11, the panel-installing portion 3a of the grommet 3 has a configuration to accommodate a connector 4 to be installed into the body panel 1. One end of the wire portion 3c bent in an approximately L-shaped configuration is continuous with the panel-installing portion 3a. A bundle of electric wires (W) connected with the connector 4 is passed through the wire portion 3c. The other end of the wire portion 3c also bent in an approximately L-shaped configuration is continuous with the panel-installing portion 3b. A door panel-locking portion is installed on the peripheral portion of the panel-installing portion 3b.
In installing the connector 4 and electric wires (W) connected with the connector 4 on the grommet 3, the connector 4 is inserted into the grommet 3 from the panel-installing portion 3b and passed through the wire portion 3c and drawn out at the panel-installing portion 3a. In this installing operation, the connector 4 is installed inside the panel-installing portion 3a, and the electric wires (W) pass through the wire portion 3c and are drawn out from the panel-installing portion 3b.
After the connector 4 is installed on the panel-installing portion 3a, the grommet 3 is covered with a cover 5 made of resin and having rigidity. Then, a bolt 6 is tightened into an opening formed in the connector 4 to fix the connector 4 and the cover 5 to the grommet 3.
Referring to FIG. 9, with the grommet 3 installed on the connector 4 and the electric wires (W) connected with the connector 4, the panel-installing portion 3a is inserted into the door panel 2 from a hole 2b formed on the door panel 2 and passed through the inside of the door panel 2 and drawn out from the through-hole 2a of the door panel 2. Then, the panel-installing portion 3a is positioned on the through-hole 1a of the body panel 1, and the panel-installing portion 3b is locked on the through-hole 2a.
On the body panel 1, a nut (not shown) is tightened on the bolt 6 screwed into the connector 4 (not shown) disposed inside the body panel 1. In this manner, the connector 4 is connected with the body panel 1. The panel-installing portion 3a is fixed to the body panel 1 with the end surface of the panel-installing portion 3a pressed against the outer surface of the body panel 1.
As described above, the grommet installed between the body panel and the door panel comprises the panel-installing portions disposed at both ends thereof and the cylindrical wire portion disposed between the panel-installing portions integral with the wire portion. Thus, it is necessary to insert the connector, connected with a plurality of electric wires, into the grommet from the wire portion disposed on the door panel and pass the connector through the narrow wire portion so as to draw out the connector to the wire portion disposed on the body panel.
In inserting the connector having a great sectional area through the tube-shaped wire portion, the diameter of the wire portion is mechanically enlarged because it is narrow. But it is very difficult to insert the connector through the wire portion and takes much time and labor because the wire portion is long.
In addition, the grommet has a complicated configuration, which necessitates the manufacture of a die having a complicated configuration. Therefore, it is difficult and expensive to manufacture the die.